Christopher M. Young

Class Action Matters

• Defended TCL North America in consumer class action matters relating to television products
• Defended Bayer HealthCare in multiple consumer class action matters and MDL proceeding relating to over-the-counter decongestant products.  Member of team recognized in The American Lawyer as "Litigators of the Week:  An Early Knockout Win in the Decongestant MDL”
• Defended Sanofi Consumer Healthcare in multiple consumer class action matters and MDL proceeding relating to over-the-counter heartburn medication
• Defended SolarEdge Inc. in consumer class action litigation relating to solar power inverter products
• Defended Hyundai Mobis Corporation in consumer class action litigation relating to automotive parts
• Defended Supercuts Inc in consumer class action litigation arising under the federal Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act relating to printed credit card receipts
• Defended Chattem Inc in consumer class action litigation relating to nutritional supplement products
• Defended Rite Aid Corporation in consumer class action litigation, commercial litigation, and in response to government investigations relating to regulatory issues
• Defended Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Inc in class action litigation relating to marketing of hormone therapy medications
• Defended American Medical Response Inc and Envision Healthcare Corporation in consumer class action litigation arising from alleged fraudulent marketing practices relating to paramedic training program
• Defended Olympus Corporation of the Americas in consumer class action proceeding arising from alleged fraudulent marketing of camera products
• Defended Groupon Inc in nationwide consumer class action litigation arising from alleged fraudulent practices in the marketing and sale of Internet vouchers
• Defended Chattem Inc in consumer class actions arising from alleged fraudulent marketing of mouthwash products
• Defended Jamba Juice Co in consumer class actions arising from alleged fraudulent marketing of food and supplement products
• Defended companies including REI, The Cheesecake Factory Restaurants and Rite Aid Corporation in consumer class action cases relating to refunds of balances on gift cards
• Defended Bridgepoint Education Inc in nationwide consumer class action litigation arising from alleged fraudulent marketing practices relating to educational institutions
• Defended the San Diego Union Tribune in consumer class action arising from alleged fraudulent marketing and sale of internet vouchers
• Defended NextFoods Inc in nationwide consumer class action proceeding arising from alleged fraudulent marketing of probiotic fruit drink product

Product Liability Matters

• Defended The Clorox Company in false advertising litigation relating to nutritional supplement products
• Defended GreatCall Inc. as national counsel relating to litigation relating to medical alert devices and services 
• Defended Medtronic Inc in multiple product liability actions relating to intrathecal pain pump medical device products
• Defended Olympus America Inc in multiple product liability actions relating to duodenoscope medical device products
• Defended DJO Global Inc as national counsel in complex mass tort litigation relating to cold therapy medical device products, in consumer class action litigation relating to medical device products, and in various other tort and commercial litigation 
• Defended Magnolia Medical Technologies in false advertising litigation relating to medical device products
• Represented BTG International in relation to litigation risk assessments for medical device products
• Defended Aerophile SA in product liability action relating to tethered helium balloon
• Defended Novo Nordisk in nationwide complex mass tort litigation arising from diabetes medication
• Defended Veolia Transportation Inc in complex mass tort litigation arising from commuter rail collision involving 25 fatalities and multiple injuries

Other Litigation Matters

• Defended Dr. Seuss Enterprises in commercial litigation and copyright infringement litigation
• Defended Bayer Corporation in false advertising and fraud litigation involving aspirin product. Obtained defense verdict after trial
• Defended major pharmaceutical companies, including Bayer Corporation and Pfizer Inc in nationwide consumer fraud class action litigation involving vitamin product, consumer fraud class action litigation involving pain reliever product, in mass tort litigation involving COX-2 inhibitor medications, mass tort litigation involving cholesterol-lowering medication and mass tort litigation arising from ingredient in decongestant and appetite suppressant products
• Defended Southwest Airlines in injury lawsuit arising from incident involving unruly passenger aboard aircraft. Obtained defense verdict after jury trial
• Defended Southwest Airlines in multiple lawsuits arising from runway overrun incident, defended airlines and manufacturers of aircraft parts in product liability and other aviation-related lawsuits, and defended airports and related entities in injury and property damage lawsuits

Chambers USA

• Band 1, California: San Diego Litigation: General Commercial (2020 – 2025)

The Legal 500 United States

• Recommended, General Commercial Disputes (2022 – 2023)
• Recommended, Product Liability, Mass Tort and Class Action: Consumer Products (including Tobacco) (2013 – 2018, 2021, 2023) 
• Recommended, Product Liability, Mass Tort and Class Actions: Toxic Tort - Defense (2017 – 2018) 
• Recommended, Product Liability, Mass Tort and Class Action: Automotive/Transport (2013 – 2014, 2016 – 2018) 
• Recommended, Product Liability, Mass Tort and Class Action: Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices - Defense (2013 – 2019)

Additional Recognitions

The Best Lawyers in America®

• Lawyer of the Year, San Diego Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants (2023)
• Lawyer of the Year, San Diego Product Liability Litigation – Defendants (2017, 2020)
• Ranked, Mass Torts / Class Actions (2012 – 2025)
• Ranked, Product Liability Litigation (2012 – 2025)
• Ranked, Personal Injury Litigation (2012 – 2025)

• Moderator and Speaker, “Class Actions Challenges in a Rapidly Changing Global Environment,” AKD Partners 2025 Global Class Action Summit, Toronto, September 17, 2025
• Speaker, “An Epidemic of Product Liability: How Globalisation is Spreading Claims,” AKD Partners Global Class Actions Summit, London, June 17, 2024
• Moderator and Speaker, “Recent Developments in Global Class Actions,” AKD Partners Global Class Action Summit, Palo Alto, December 6, 2023
• Moderator and Speaker, “Recent Developments in Global Class Actions and the EU Collective Redress Initiative,” AKD Partners Global Class Actions Summit, New York, October 20, 2022 
• Speaker, “The Emerging European Landscape for Class Actions,” AKD Partners Global Class Actions Client Summit, London, June 21, 2022
• Speaker, “Consumer Class Actions:  Demystifying Trends, Developments, and Legal Challenges,” The Knowledge Group, May 13, 2021
• Speaker, "The Rise of Global Class Actions," Major Developments in Class Action Litigation, AKD Partners Webinar, July 16, 2019
• Speaker, Global Class Actions and Collective Redress seminars, June 11, 12 and 13, 2018, Paris, London, and Cologne 
• CLE Event: Class Action and Collective Redress Update, May 18, 2017
• Speaker, "Class Actions, Mass Torts & Products: Perspectives from the US and Australia," AKD Partners Insurance Symposium 2017, Sydney, Australia, February 23, 2017
• Speaker, "Product Liability: Trial Examinations and Outlines," ABA Section of Litigation Roundtable, June 2016
• Speaker, "Class Actions and Mass Tort Trends," Bridging Borders Seminar, Melbourne, Australia, October 16, 2014
• Speaker, "Class Actions and Mass Tort Trends," Bridging Borders Seminar, Sydney, Australia, October 14, 2014
• Speaker, "Defending Against the Pernicious 'No Injury'" Class Action Lawsuit, American Conference Institute, Consumer Products Regulation and Litigation, June 2014
• Speaker, "Minimizing Company Harm from No-Injury Class Actions", American Conference Institute, Consumer Products Regulation and Litigation, June 2013

• Board Member and Governance Committee member, San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program
• Member of Executive Committee and MCLE Coordinator, Louis M. Welsh Inn of Court
• Senior Sponsor, AKD Partners Global Scholarships Program
• Alumni mentor volunteer, University of California, Berkeley School of Law
• Advisory Board Member and past Chair of Fundraising Committee, ABA Immigration Justice Project of San Diego